More on Intelligence Changes

This was sent by a friend:

It might be worth mentioning that Bahjat's replacement Nassif is the son of Muhammad Nassif, who remains a very powerful member of the inner core, and who I believe was formerly the head of the General Intelligence department, or at least the domestic affairs department.

Al-Balad newspaper in Lebanon notes other changes and appointments from its Damascus correspondent:

The head of the Damascus branch of the Political Security directorate, Gen. (Amid) Rafik Shehadeh, was set to a military posing at the presidential palace. Soon expected is the appointment of Brig. (Liwaa) Ali Younes as head of the Air Force intelligence service, in lieu of Brig. Ezzeddine Ismail. Younes had been head of the 293 section of Military Intelligence.

I'm not sure how to interpret this, though it does seem clear that Assef has placed his man at Air Force intelligence. Was Shehadeh kicked upstairs? Dunno. Also, the article cites sources in Syria as saying Farouq Sharaa will not be appointed a new vice-president; instead he will receive a new role in the National Progressive Front, which sounds pretty much like he's being sidelined.

Syria replaces powerful intelligence chief Hisham Ikhtiar with Ali Mamluk
14 Jun 2005: Reuters: By Suleiman al-Khalidi

DAMASCUS, June 14 (Reuters) - Syria has appointed a new intelligence chief as part of steps to loosen the ruling Baath's party's tight grip on political life, diplomats and analysts said on Tuesday.

Ali Mamluk, deputy head of intelligence of the air force, replaces Hisham Ikhtiar, who was elevated to a top level post as head of a newly set up national security bureau within the Baath party, they said.

"He took up his post yesterday," said a Syrian political analyst with ties to members of the ruling Baath party.

The choice of Mamluk, in his mid-fifties and born in Damascus, was part of efforts to streamline the "mukhabarat" security service, focus it on domestic state security and downsize its pervasive role in society, other analysts said.

Damascus has come under growing international pressure amid a wave of agitation for democratic reforms in the Arab world.

And three U.N. military officers are checking reports Syria may still have intelligence agents in Lebanon after Damascus pulled its 14,000 troops out of its smaller neighbour in April.

"The timing of the new appointment and the credentials of the man is more than coincidental. The regime wants to send a message that it understands what is going on around it and wants to move forward," said one Western diplomat.

The Baath party circulated a directive last week abolishing 67 permits that ordinary Syrians normally need from the mukhabarat to license anything from a wedding to a billiard hall, a barber shop to a local grocer.

"There has been a growing feeling amongst Baath reformers that the role of the mukhabarat must be curtailed under a security reform plan that has been discussed to limit excesses," a diplomatic source said.

The new head of intelligence was expected to curb the agency's overt political role and heavy-handed tactics against political dissidents, a semi-official source said.

"The move is in line with efforts to push ahead with wider political reforms," said the source, who requested anonymity.